The Curtain Rises

After a cosy n-, a chat through the night with Young Shiyi, I headed to the village Long Cheng and the members of Dark Wind Branch were taking refuge at.

In the past, people said the following of Dark Wind Branch: "Nothing can keep Dark Wind in the dark." In other words, regardless of what secret the imperial palace hid, precious artefact there was in the martial world or secret there was between commoners, Dark Wind Branch would find out what it was if they desired so.

The claim gained popularity thanks to their proficiency and secretive nature. They were also reputed as the strongest among the hundred branches of Divine Moon Cult, as they were seemingly experts at survival. No matter how risky a mission was, their team always returned with the most surviving members. Nothing proved that better than the fact there were over a dozen of their adepts still alive despite the years the imperial court invested into hunting them. Few knew they were the furthest thing from "sagacious," though. Their best skill was actually having absurd patience and the ability to bear with hardship under their outrageous leader.

"I heard the Seven Champion White Princes'… is… illegitimate son. Go and find out what it's about."

"The League of Assassins isn't showing any sense of brotherhood. Find out where their boss is for me."

"Shaolin Temple's Yijin Jing is famous now. The monk won't come out, apparently. Go steal the manual for me."

"The old Emperor's rule is too stable. I'm going to give it a shake. Steal the capital's military layout designs. I'm going to be a strategist and teach them how to fight this fight. Huh? Not enough men? Twenty men aren't enough? I'll let you take Guardian Long Cheng. That's twenty-one now. Good?"

After returning alive from similar suicide missions, they seemingly developed a knack for surviving. Taking on such missions developed their unwavering determination, patience and survival skills for when the odds were stacked against them.

After leaving Feiyun Hall, Dark Wind Branch dressed in shorts and short-sleeved shirts. They also sported cloth wraps around their head. They resembled farmers getting ready to go out to the fields. As I spoke, they earnestly listened to soak up wisdom.

"This is called a fork. This is called a dung fork and is used to dig around dung, understood? Yes, cow dung, you're right… Who just said cow dung is for flowers?! Slap yourself!"

I had old men surrounding me, asking me agriculture questions. A group of recluse living as farmers not knowing how to farm and requiring my advice…

Mount Daluo had farmland isolated away from the rest of the world. The inhabitants never left the mountain; however, their harvests were the same as everywhere else. When I was a kid, I would play in the village if I wasn't training, so I had seen it all. That was how I became a certified agriculture enlightener.

"The fork is an incredible tool. Once you've used, you'll know what it's all about."

Dark Wind Branch's members came around. They passed the fork around for a touch and sniffed the soil. The environment was new and attractive to them. They fiddled with the fork around for a while before they would pass it on, treating it as if it was a treasure of some sort. One even asked me, "Lord San Shen, is this really a dung fork?"

"Obviously."

"What makes you say so?"

I waved: "I borrowed it from Uncle Niu next door. I borrowed it right after he finished with it for that matter; he hadn't even had a chance to clean it. It's the real deal."

"Fuck, no wonder why it was warm to the touch! Who claimed this was the smell of soil?!"

The "preachers" suddenly lost it and threw away the treasure. The smell dispersed, plunging the room into chaos. Watching them made me muse, "You morons… You can't even farm in peace?"

I picked up the lethal weapon and, in an authorative tone, explained, "Long-story short, you need to learn how to farm, or people will be suspicious. Moreover, you'll starve to death here if you don't lift a finger. It's not easy to survive here."

"What are we doing?" asked Long Cheng, coming out from his room he was recuperating in. He was hurt bad after the events at Feiyun Hall. Still, seeing his subordinates dressed as farmers didn't sit well with him. He followed up with, "Lord San Shen, what are we doing here?"

"What are you doing? Lots of things," I answered. I counted my fingers as I listed, "First, buy cattle and then come up with a plan to cultivate the field. Then, you'll be able to buy new crops in January and February. For the meantime, buy some chickens, ducks and whatnot to raise. I like braised pork shoulders, so remember to buy a pig, a big one…"

"That is not what I meant!" thundered Long Cheng. "Lord San Shen, why must we be farmers?"

Long Cheng looked stern, but he showed great respect for me. That said, I could sense his urge to punch my face in. Dark Wind Branch was his life. If it was anyone else who told them to farm, he'd likely fight them to the death.

"We survived bloody skirmishes and worse already, so we can survive even if we do not do this lame work."

Long Cheng was wrapped in bandages all over, so he didn't even need to wear clothes, yet tried to sound tough.

'Okay, Hard Ass, you trying to defy the heavens or something?'

"In other words, you're aware your brothers have had to risk their lives all this time? You want them to continue risking their lives? What rule states martial artists have to lead violent and stormy lives?" I reproached Long Cheng with my gaze: "Guardian Long, you don't mean to say you plan to continue fighting in underground circuits, kidnapping people, robbing, plundering and hiding on mountains do you? Are you keen on being a bandit chief?"

Long Cheng was stunned for a moment. He calmly down and bitterly said, "That is not what your subordinate wishes for, but…"

"Farming is an honest man's job. Every drop of water you drink and every grain of rice you eat came from your own time and energy investment. What's so embarrassing about that?"

I stabbed the dung fork into the ground, dispersing the scent and startling the group. Long Cheng lifted his hand to cover his nose but stopped himself.

I continued, "Divine Moon Cult had its days of glory, but it failed. We lost. Admit defeat when you lose. Right now, there's nothing more important than protecting yourselves, not dragging your battered bodies around to challenge the imperial court's forces. Your urgent task at hand is surviving. Don't make the mistake of thinking you have plenty of choices. The Qilin Guards are still investigating us. Had it not been for Kong Duan abusing his authority to cover your tracks, your whereabouts would've been revealed in less than three days after you revealed your skills."

I completely shut Long Cheng down. All he could do was nod grudgingly. I understood he had yet to come to terms to it, but it was an ongoing process.

I threw the dung fork to a member: "Uncle Niu from next door will come over and teach you how to cultivate the ground soon. Show him some respect. Guardian Long, come with me."

Long Cheng nodded. We left the farmhouse together.

It was noon. Dapples of winter sunlight illuminated the Earth. The colder air soothed the sunlight's heat. The breeze was quiet. The world seemed to move slower.

The village wasn't too far from the capital. I could go to and fro within an hour easily on foot. The people there lived simple lives. One could behold and hear the beauty of nature at the village. There were lots of farmhouses; however, there were also small businesses. As soon as you entered the village, you